Artist&#39;s maulstick



Fm m W@ M. www@ 29499? ARTISTS MAULSTICK Filed Nov. 21, 1.946

.fj/s ATTORNEYS v Patented Feb.. 7, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT *OFFICEARTISTS MAUIS'TIGK Michael'Dolas, New York, N. Y.

LAprleli'cation November 21,"1946,"Serial No. 711,447

I 3 Claims.

'This'invention relates toan artists niaulstick,

When the artist is working, i. e., drawing,

painting, etc., `especially when he is doing fine or I detailed Work, heoften requires a support on which to rest or steady his `hand. One formof maulstok ccrnmonlyused is a wooden or light metal rod with a rubberend. In using such a prior art device the artist holds the rod with onehand by pressing the rubber'agaihst the work andrests his other handupon the rod as he is working. This common formof maulstick requirestheuse of both hands-and does not leave one hand free for themanipulation of a palette, paints or other work which might be necessarywhile the artist is working with the other hand.

It is an object of the invention to provide a maulstick which may bermly secured to a Work support, such as a drawing board, at any positionand with rm engagement so as to provide a steady support for the artistshand while workmg.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment of the invention taken inconnection with the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view showing a Work support with the maulstick inposition thereon;

Fig. 2 is a bottom' view of the maulstick before it is mounted on thework support;

Fig. 3 is a view partly in section of a portion of the maulstick showingthe means for holding it in engagement with the work support, and

Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the maulstick in relationto the work support.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, in Figs. 1 and 4 there isshown a work support, such as a drawing board, generally indicated as B,and the maulstick generally shown at M. As is apparent from Figs. 1 and4 the maulstick extends across the work support B and is spaced from theupper surface thereof so as not to be in engagement with the work on thesurface of the support. The maulstick may be positioned parallel to thesides or parallel to the top and bottom of the work support or at anyangle for engagement with the sides or with the top and bottom. Theartist may rest his hand on the maulstick at any position along itslength while working with painting or drawing instruments.

Referring more particularly to the construction shown, the maulstickcomprises two members 2 and 4, which are slidably mounted, so that `theIm'ember 4 -sli'des inside the memberfl Mounted :riear 'the fresp'ective`outer ends Aof the 'slidable members Z'and are hooks .or otherTiastening 'means 6 land 8 respectively lon Vwhich a nspring IU isfastened. The'springis'of such a f lengthand tension as -normallyftoliold'thefmember -`2 in taposition overlapping 'ltlie .member '4. The'lengths 'of `the :slidabieiniembers are such vthat I'the 'end l2 of themember '-4 engages the abutment YI4 of nthe member f2 when A4themaulstick is inl closed psition.

The slidable membersmay 'be pulled apart so tlratjin extended "position"the fmaulstick is appronima'tely Etwice "as long fas Fin "closed'position andjf desired, meansmayb'e included Vtolprevent the slidablemembers from being pulled completely apart. The spring is such as topermit full extension of the slidable members.

Mounted near the opposite ends respectively of the slidable members 2and 4 are extension members I6 and I8. Near the end of each extensionmember are engaging points 2U and 22. When the maulstick is to beapplied to the work support, the slidable members are pulled so that theengaging points '20 and 22 are further apart than the work support. Inthis position the maulstick is placed over the work support in theVdesired location relative to the work to be done. Upon releasing, thetension of the spring pulls the slidable vmembers together and causesthe points 20 and 22 to engage firmly into the Work support. The tensionof the spring is such as to rmly engage the points into the wood orother material on which the work is mounted. and hold them inengagement.

In order to provide greater rigidity for the maulstick in its appliedposition, two circular members are provided having collars 24 and 26 anddiscs 28 and 30. preferably with knurled edges, as illustrated. Theinterior of the collars 24 and 20 are provided with threads which coactwith threads on the extension members, so that the circular members maybe moved up and down along the extension members I6 and I3 by rotation.When the maulstick is initially applied to the work support, thethreaded members will be turned so as to occupy a position near themiddle of the extension members I6 and I8 or near the ends adjacent theslidable members 2 and 4. After the maulstick is applied in a desiredlocation the discs may be turned so as to bring their surface into nrmengagement with the edges of the work support, as shown. at 32 and 34.This prevents the rotation of the mauistick about the engaging points 20and 22 and holds the maulstick rmly in position.

As is illustrated in Fig. 1 in the preferred embodiment, the extensionmembers I6 and I8 are positioned at slightly less than right angles tothe slidable members 2 and 4, and inclined slightly towards the center.Because of this construction the discs 28 and 30 engage only the ends ofthe Work support and leave spaces 36 and 38 so as not to engage or marthe paper or other Work which may be m'ounted on and extend near theedges of the work support.

It will be obvious that my invention may take forms other than thespecic preferred embodiment included herein for illustrative purposes.and al1 such embodiments as fall within the scope of the followingclaims are intended to be within the invention.

I claim: Y

l. As an. article of manufacture, a device comprising two elongatedmembers in telescopic re- Y lation and slidably mounted relative to eachother into contact with the sides of a support on which the device is tobe mounted, and means on said laterally extending members movable for vengagement with the surface of the support.

2.l As an article of manufacture, a device comt prising two tubularelongated members in engagement with each other and slidably mounted lrelative to each other, a spring for urging said members in overlappingposition, means extending from the opposite ends of the slidable membersat less than a right angle, engaging points on Said extension means,said spring acting to urge the engaging points into contact with thesides of a support on which the device is to be mounted, and means onsaid extension members movable for engagement with the edges of thesupport.

3. As an article of manufacture, a device comprising two tubularrod-shaped members mounted one within the other and slidably mountedrelative to each other, a spring for urging said members in overlappingposition, threaded extension members projecting from the opposite endsof the slidable members at less than a right angle, engaging points onsaid extension members, said spring acting to urge the engaging pointsinto contact with the sides of a support onxwhich the deviceV is to bemounted, and threaded discs rotatably mounted on said threaded extensionmembers for engagement with the f edges of the support.

MICHAEL DOLAS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 289,700 Parker Dec. 4, 18831,016,041 Scott Jan. 30, 1912

